لَنَقلُ الصَخرِ مِن قُلَلِ الجِبالِ

لَنَقلُ الصَخرِ مِن قُلَلِ الجِبالِ

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن مِنَنِ الرِجالِ

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن مِنَنِ الرِجالِ

Indeed, hauling rock from the mountain peaks

I would rather move mountains

Hauling rocks from the peaks of mountains

Is dearer to me than the favors of men.

Than beg from ungenerous men

Is dearer to me than the favors of men.

يَقولُ الناسُ لي في الكَسبِ عارٌ

يَقولُ الناسُ لي في الكَسبِ عارٌ

فَقُلتُ العار في ذُلِّ السُؤالِ

فَقُلتُ العار في ذُلِّ السُؤالِ

People tell me, “There is shame in earning a living.”

They say seeking wealth is shameful

People say to me: "There is shame in earning a living,"

So I said, “Shame lies in the humiliation of begging.”

But shame is in begging all the same

But I replied: "The true shame lies in the humiliation of asking."

بَلَوتُ الناسَ قِرناً بَعد قَرنٍ

بَلَوتُ الناسَ قِرناً بَعد قَرنٍ

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ مُحتالٍ بِمالِ

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ مُحتالٍ بِمالِ

I have tested people, generation after generation,

I have known people age after age

I have tested mankind, generation after generation,

And never seen the like of a schemer with money.

None so cunning in profiting as this knave

And found none like the one resourceful with wealth.

وَذُقتُ مَرارَةَ الأَشياءِ طُرّاً

وَذُقتُ مَرارَةَ الأَشياءِ طُرّاً

فَما طَعمٌ أَمَرَّ مِنَ السُؤالِ

فَما طَعمٌ أَمَرَّ مِنَ السُؤالِ

And I have tasted the bitterness of all things,

I have tasted life's bitternesses sharp

I have tasted the bitterness of all things, without exception,

Yet no taste is more bitter than begging.

No taste more bitter than this begging

Yet found no taste more bitter than the act of begging.

وَلَم أَرَ في الخُطوبِ أَشَدُّ هَولاً

وَلَم أَرَ في الخُطوبِ أَشَدُّ هَولاً

وَأَصعَبُ مِن مَقالاتِ الرِجالِ

وَأَصعَبُ مِن مَقالاتِ الرِجالِ

And among calamities I have seen nothing more terrifying

In life's trials I've not seen

I have seen no calamity more terrifying,

Or harder to bear than the words of men.

Anything more dreadful than men's lies

Nor more burdensome than the words of men.